Blast and Fire
Our interest in occupant protection has led to significant research in blast and fire conditions from IEDs, plant explosions, terrorist infrastructure attacks, burner system designs, and the transport of hazardous materials.
Infrastructure Blast Protection Research
Our infrastructure blast protection research has resulted in the development of composite structures that provide blast protection of people and infrastructure. These can be applied to anti-terrorist infrastructure designs and protection of pipelines from IEDs and in-plant explosions. In addition, they can protect control-rooms from accidental explosions that may threaten the control of the chemical plant.
Occupant Blast Protection Research
This work includes the effects of IED blasts on vehicles’ occupant compartment protection systems. We evaluated blast strain rate effects on Anthropomorphic Test Dummy performance, particularly with regard to spinal, organ, and limb protection injury probabilities. This work resulted in the evaluation of alternative design systems to protect against these types of injuries.
Burn Test Heat Flux Design
Our techniques for developing burner systems reflect real world fire conditions for evaluation of fire protection system designs and hazardous materials protection systems.
Anti-Terrorist Protection
Our anti-terrorist R&D has led to pipe line protection from terrorist blast threats using advanced composite technology.
Blast Research
The use of advanced measurement equipment has been used to measure the pressure waves associated with blasts. The data was then used in the design and evaluation of composite protection systems.
Truck Transport Safety
Our truck transport research includes how to protect hazardous materials under fire conditions and the development of design measures to mitigate the effects of fire and to prevent explosive results from crashes. This work includes fire detection and suppression and flammability of interior vehicle materials and techniques for evaluation of suppressing fires and reducing flammability of materials.
